via MDC-T divisions widen over Biti’s electoral comments | SW Radio Africa by Tererai Karimakwenda on Monday, March 10, 2014
Divisions within the MDC-T further widened this weekend, following comments by the Secretary General Tendai Biti suggesting that their 2013 electoral loss was because ZANU PF had a better message which resonated with the electorate.
The comments were made at a policy dialogue for the SAPES Trust on Thursday, and at least ten minutes of his speech was aired on the ZANU PF controlled ZBC-TV, drawing further criticism.
“ZANU in the last election had a very simple message, bhora mugedhi, even a little woman in Chendambuya or Dotito just knew one thing, bhora mugedhi,” Biti is quoted as saying, adding that the MDC-T’s message was “perhaps too sophisticated”.
This contradicts Biti’s original allegations after the elections, when he insisted there had been massive rigging by ZANU PF. He also helped to produce the MDC-T’s dossier on the elections and was very vocal about electoral fraud that had taken place countrywide.
Party leader Morgan Tsvangirai was quick to attack Biti, telling supporters at a rally in Mabvuku on Sunday that the elections were rigged and Biti’s comments should be ignored. The MDC-T deputy national chairman, Morgan Komichi, who spent 100 days in jail after reporting electoral fraud, said the comments were painful.
Political analyst Clifford Mashiri said the MDC-T has lost its focus and are failing to address the real bread and butter issues that Zimbabweans are faced with. He added that their internal differences could have been talked over and resolved with a degree of patience.
“We would have expected the leadership of the MDC-T to be touring the country’s disturbed and troubled regions. We have images of the people in Tokwe Mukosi sheltering under trees when their tents were washed away. These are the same people they are asking to vote for them,” Mashiri explained.
He pointed to urban areas where ratepayers are being deprived of basic services such as waste removal, water and electricity. At the hospitals people are being turned away because there are inadequate supplies of staff and medication.
“The MDC-T needs to be addressing these issues which we read about day by day. Sadly they are only at each other’s throats and again it’s because they have lost focus,” Mashiri added, saying that ZANU PF had seized the media opportunity to focus on the infighting, using ZBC.
Biti would not be drawn into answering questions when reached by SW Radio Africa on Monday, saying he was attending important meetings.
The MDC-T secretary general did not attend the Sunday rally, along with suspended deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma, national executive member Engineer Elias Mudzuri, youth assembly chairperson Solomon Madzore and youth assembly secretary-general Promise Mkwananzi.
All five have been linked to calls for new leadership in the party and Mangoma is soon to face an independent disciplinary committee, following recommendations by the National Executive Council which suspended him.
“The puppet is gone, now we go for the puppeteer,” MDC-T’s Harare province spokesperson, Obert Gutu, wrote on his Facebook page on Friday, following the party decision to suspend Mangoma.
According to the Daily News newspaper, senior aides to party President Morgan Tsvangirai were “beside themselves”, anonymously blasting Biti for praising their political rivals, ZANU PF.
Some observers have said these divisions are likely to lead to another split within the MDC-T, leaving ZANU PF to gain as Zimbabweans continue to suffer under the Mugabe regime.
COMMENTS
biti uchanyengwa kumagaro nevamwe varume nekukara mari
biti akatopiwa mari kare nagono.
gono appoints biti as his lawyer, how does that work out. now biti is mad.
Biti is doing anything for money. He is lawyer to Gono , number one chikurubi candidate. Sense must prevail. He wants to be a our leader. Now he wants to milk Bennet
Biti and company are not the barometer of the movement, as people move some will fall by wayside and are they,may god be with them.
Munyaradzi Gwisayi,Job Sikhala, Welshman Ncube,Edgar Tekere,are but examples of those who confused popularity with politics. The Brand matters most in politics. In as much as he dissected the MDC brand in his Sapes talk, he kept referring to the importance of a brand.
As long as The MDC has dysfunctional leadership, its going no where. Lack of learship is the main probly. The we have the praise singers, giving the boss a sense of achievement when he has achieved nothing. The same how’s for Zanu, taking us backward. Zanu’s new slogan, FORWARD NEVER, BACKWARDS FOREVER.
Nothing wrong with analysing why you were beaten, infact what Biti is doing is making sure that the same mistake is not repeated. Only blind Tsvangirai supporters will not do checks and balances as to why we have lost 3 times and heading for 4th time defeat with Mugabe contestisting in his death bed. MDC must be open to drmocratic debate.
Mugabe was beaten hands down in 2008 but he refused to go. Please don’t lie that Morgan was defeated 3 times.
Nesbert, not hands down.You dont know that. He beat him, but not enough to make him leader as per the standing orders of the day.
Biti did NOT say that MDC lost because ZANU PF had a better message…but this is how the Herald reported it. Amazing that this article does likewise.
No doubt about the rigging but the MDC leadership made mistakes that did not prevent some of the rigging!!! their primaries were a shambles..
I smell a rat guys. Biti could have looted the remittances and proceeds from the diamond mining companies. He is trying to play games here so that he gets protection from ZANU if at all he got his hands deep into diamond revenue.
Unfortunately if that is the case Biti will still remain answerable at some point. Pane zvakavanzika zvikuru apa, it’s not about Tsvangirai, but the unfolding events are being used to find his way out and join ZANU ‘officially’.
Biti is still immature politically, he still thinks it’s student politics dzekuwetera mafiriji. Leadership comes from the people and you can never dream being one and think it just happens by the flick of a finger.
You have shown that despite being a Lawyer your interpretation of the constitution is misleading and very dubious. I have personally lost respect for you and I guess many others too.
Biti is no bigger than the party and is not at all indispensable. You have perhaps all along working to destroy the party misleading people as you participated in negotiations on behalf of party supporters. You have betrayed the revolution and the only thing is quit and join Mangoma.
Was Mangoma constitutionally correct to write a letter to Morgan? Why didn’t you call for a press conference to clarify that? You were very impartial in your approach Biti and it’s good you have shown your true self. I’m justifying Tsvangirai to continue as the leader but all has to be done above board and so was it?
Biti nhundira mufiriji shows how misguided you are. You have become politically irrelevant in MDC.
So, Sigasiga, was Tsvangirai constitutionally correct to have Mangoma beaten for merely writing a letter? Are you seriously suggesting that it is an offence in MDC for a member of the Executive Council, or even an ordinary card carrying member for that matter to write to the party President?
If that is the case then the MDC is a scary party.
Who has caused divisions in mdc?is it Tsvangirai.People talk nonsense why dont we wait for congress ,this is what boggles my mind, people who want Tsvangirai out dont want to wait for congress either instead they want to push him out why PATHETIC.
Jobolinko, you dont necessarily need to wait for congress, you are presumably a democrat, if MDC rules or whatever you call it dont allow for challenge at any stage…then its flawed and needs examining outright.
You do not analys your loss in the media especialy where there is a hand of rigging State media said he praised zanu instead Zanu and cio will be the winners from this.
Biti is right…Zanu Pf has a NOW promise, flimsy as it maybe and MDC has the same washed up promises of jobs,etc etc that every politician from Cape to Kentucky talks about. Zanu pf gives me a torch today…i celeberate because it lights my way from the growth point TODAY! Thats how simple and unsophisticated the majority Zimbabwean constituents are….unfortunately.
Thats why “uneducated” pple like Chinoz win because they are practical..they build bridges, finance self help projects, sink boreholes…Read the signs MDC, pple want to experience a bit of the promise NHASI!!!!
Biti you are the one who said in Mt Pleasant refugees came to vote now Zanupf Bhora mughedhi was more appealing to the electorate. Tell us where you lying to us when you said elections where rigged. then how are we supposed to trust you. this is pathetic. Welshman Ncube took with him the entire National executive council with except the Chairman imagine including the then vice President. People thought even Zanupf was celebrating the end of MDC but the next election Mugabe suffered his first defeat. Watchout!!!!!!!! Ask Gwisai and Sikhala pple like MDC not individuals you leave you are History
Was Biti wrong to be objective. Noooooooooooooooo! Biti is not joining ZANU PF. Its called reflection. We all reflect on our mistakes and think aloud. There is a lot of sense in what he is saying. Bhora mugedi won the election whether rigged or not. Biti is simply saying lets move forward and stop useless lamentations. ZANU PF won. BHORA MUGEDHI mwana wamudhara. Hureeeeeeeee. Team ikarohwa inoda replay. Ndiro game rekupedzisira here. Kwete. Let us reorganise and try to patch up our weaknesses. Remember that bad carpenters blame ZANU PF. Was Tsvangirai prepared to be the President? What effort dd he put to become one? Nothing! What dd he do to encourage supporters to vote? DooH! Tsvangirai wave muradza not how much you boil has lost taste. He now employs bullying strategies used by Mugabe. He is playing straight into ZANU PF’s quarter. He should quit while still leading otherwise, ngura yepolitics ichamushungurudza.
Zanu murikumutyaka 2018 munova chete. Biti is nt Mdc let them organise one Rally and u wl c . Talk of Democracy we are nt yet in Canaan ,sell-outs wl derail peoples project in the name of democracy.Let thm form their Party Endai vakomana tione kuti inofa here Mdc-T yacho.